Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CONDUIT ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF MAKING AND USING SAME
CROSS REFERENCE
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent
Application
No. 61/443,617, filed February 16, 2011 and entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS TO
MONITOR SUBTERRANEAN ENVIRONMENTS," the disclosure of which is incorporated by
reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to methods and apparatuses for
collecting
information relating to the subsurface environments, including wellbores and
bodies of water.
More specifically, the methods and apparatuses allow for improved collection
of the information
provided by sensors and devices disposed in the subsurface environments.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In conventional systems and methods to monitor subsurface environments,
sensors and other electrical devices (e.g., Fabre Perot Sensors, Magneto-
Tulleric sensors, seismic
geophones and hydrophones, as well as other acoustic, neutron, and electrical
generating and
receiving packages) are often deployed into subsurface environments
encapsulated inside an
instrument tube, and/or plastic encapsulation, or other housings. The
instrument tube or housing
is then either attached to the exterior of the larger conduit or disposed
inside a larger conduit
unattached for deployment into the subsurface environment. These deployment
encapsulation
systems are commonly referred to as, Wire Line, Tubing Encapsulated Cable,
Control Line, and
or Flat Packing by those familiar to the art of oil and gas well completions.
In the case of
exterior deployed systems, the attachment can be done with bands, clamps, or
polymeric
coatings. In the case of systems deployed inside conduits such current system
encumber the
conduit's interior passage to fluids and other well devices like wire line
logging or perforating
tools, well pumps and rods, plunger lift systems, and other down hole devices
known to those
familiar with the art of oil and gas production and completion methods.
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[0004] These conventional arrangements have several disadvantages. For the
former
conventional arrangement, the instrument tube attached to the exterior of the
larger conduit is
exposed to the harsh conditions of the subsurface environment. As such, it is
prone to being
damaged during deployment into wells, particularly in horizontal wells. For
the conventional
arrangement of deploying the sensors inside a conduit, the instrument tube
freely disposed within
the larger tube may not provide the most reliable data because it is not
coupled to the larger tube
and may unnecessarily obstruct the pathway inside the larger tube.
Accordingly, there is still a
need for methods and apparatuses that protect the sensors and measuring
devices as well as
provide for improved data collection without unnecessary obstructions.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a
conduit
assembly comprising: an inner member having a first end; a second end; and a
body between
said first end and said second end; and a conduit member having a first end; a
second end; a
body between said first end and said second end of the conduit member, wherein
the conduit
member is at least about 30 feet long; and an opening through the body of the
conduit member;
wherein the inner member is disposed in the opening of the conduit member and
attached to the
interior surface of the conduit member substantially along the length of the
conduit member. In
one embodiment, the inner member has substantially the same length as the
conduit member. In
another embodiment, the inner member is at least about 70% as long as the
conduit member.
[0006] In one embodiment the inner member is continuously connected to the
conduit
member. In another embodiment, the inner member comprises an opening through
the body of
the inner member. In another embodiment, the inner member is adapted to
receive at least one
measuring device disposed in the opening of the inner member. In one
embodiment, the
measuring device is selected from the group consisting of optical sensors,
including optical
fibers, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, acoustic sensors,
accelerometers, seismological
equipment, and any combination thereof.
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[0007] In one embodiment, the conduit assembly further comprises at least one
electrical
wire disposed in the opening of the inner member. In another embodiment, the
conduit assembly
is configured for deployment into a subsurface environment. In one embodiment,
at least one of
the conduit member and the conduit of the inner member is configured for
production of fluid
from the subsurface environment to the surface. In another embodiment, at
least one of the
conduit member and the conduit of the inner member is configured for injection
from the surface
to the subsurface environment. In yet another embodiment, the conduit assembly
further
comprises one or more additional inner members disposed in the opening of the
conduit member
and connected to the interior of the conduit member substantially along the
length of conduit
member.
[0008] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is
provided a method
of constructing a conduit assembly comprising the steps of: providing a strip
of material having a
first lateral side, a second lateral side, and a length of at least 30 feet;
providing an inner
member; attaching at least a portion of the inner member to the strip of
material along the length
of the strip of material; and forming a conduit member with the strip of
material subsequent to
said inner member being attached to the strip of material by attaching the
first and second lateral
sides together to form an opening, wherein the inner member is disposed in the
opening of the
formed conduit member.
[0009] In one embodiment, the attaching comprises welding. In another
embodiment, the
method further comprises the step of collecting the conduit member onto a
reel. In another
embodiment, the inner member comprises at least one measuring device disposed
in an opening
of the inner member. In yet another embodiment, the method further comprises
providing at
least one additional inner member; and attaching at least a portion of the at
least one additional
inner member to the strip of material along the length of the strip of
material prior to said
forming step.
[0010] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is
provided a method
comprising the steps of: deploying a distal end of a conduit assembly having a
length of at least
30 feet into a subsurface environment, said conduit assembly comprising: an
inner member
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comprising: a first end; a second end; and a body between said first end and
said second end; and
a conduit member comprising: a first end; a second end; a body between said
first end and said
second end of the conduit member, wherein the conduit member is at least 30
feet long; and an
opening through the body of the conduit member; wherein the inner member is
disposed in the
opening of the conduit member and connected to the interior surface of the
conduit member
substantially along the length of the conduit member. In one embodiment, the
method further
comprises the step of collecting data transmitted by at least one measuring
device disposed in
said conduit assembly. In another embodiment, the measuring device is selected
from the group
consisting of optical sensors, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, acoustic
sensors,
accelerometers, seismological equipment, and any combination thereof.
100111 In one embodiment, the deploying step comprises placing the conduit
assembly in
the subsurface environment permanently to collect information about the
subsurface environment
over a prolonged period of time. In another embodiment, the method further
comprises the step
of providing the conduit assembly with energy selected from the group
consisting of electrical
energy, hydraulic energy, pneumatic energy, and any combination thereof. In
another
embodiment, the method further comprises the step of producing fluid through
the conduit
assembly from said subsurface environment to the surface. In another
embodiment, the method
further comprises the step of injecting fluid through the conduit assembly
from the surface to
said subsurface environment. In yet another embodiment, the method further
comprises the step
of equipping the distal end of the conduit assembly with at least one device
selected from the
group consisting of mechanical device, electrical device, magnetic device,
telluric device,
acoustical device, neutron generating device, and any combination thereof
100121 In one embodiment, the subsurface environment comprises a body of
water. In
another embodiment, the method further comprises the step of: providing a
vessel, wherein a
proximal end of the conduit assembly is attached to the vessel. In another
embodiment, the
method further comprises monitoring the subsurface environment using at least
the collected
data. In yet another embodiment, the method further comprises moving the
conduit assembly
through the subsurface environment while collecting information about the
subsurface
environment.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference
is now
made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawing, in
which:
[0014] FIG. lA is a cross section of an exemplary conduit assembly of the
present
disclosure;
[0015] FIG. 1B is a magnified view of a portion of the exemplary conduit
assembly of
FIG. 1A;
[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary conduit assembly of the present
disclosure
deployed in a horizontal well; and
[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary process to make the conduit assembly
according
to the aspects of the present disclosure.
[0018] It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale
and that the
disclosed embodiments are sometimes illustrated diagrammatically and in
partial views. In
certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the
disclosed methods
and apparatuses or which render other details difficult to perceive may have
been omitted. Also,
for simplification purposes, there may be only one exemplary instance, rather
than all, is labeled.
It should be understood, of course, that this disclosure is not limited to the
particular
embodiments illustrated herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] As described herein the term "surface" can include a position located
at the
proximal end of the conduit assembly and can be the surface of the earth,
surface of a body of
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water, a location on a surface water vessel, or a location on a submerged
vessel. The present
disclosure provides conduit assemblies that protect sensitive measuring
equipment, such as
sensors, wires, optical fibers, and power storage and transmission devices,
from damages during
deployment into a subsurface environment while allowing for improved data
transmission and
collection by the equipment once deployed. The present disclosure also
provides for methods of
making such conduit assemblies. The conduit assemblies of the present
disclosure are
particularly suited horizontal wells, where a portion of a well bore is
constructed horizontally
through the earth. The conduit assemblies of the present disclosure are also
suited for subsurface
environments having a body of water, such as oceans, and in the fields of
reflection seismology,
magnetotellurics, and optical time domain reflectometry for temperature and
acoustic
monitoring.
[0020] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the conduit assembly
has a
small conduit disposed within and connected to the interior surface of a large
conduit along the
length of both conduits. The conduits can be continuously or discontinuously
connected along
the length of both conduits. The smaller conduit is preferably welded to the
interior surface of
the larger conduit. According to another aspect of the present disclosure,
there is a method to
make the conduit assembly by attaching the small conduit during the
manufacturing of the large
conduit. In one embodiment, the large conduit is made from sheet metal strip.
The small
conduit is attached to the sheet metal strip prior to the sheet metal strip
being formed into the
large conduit. Once attached, the lateral sides of the sheet metal strip can
be connected to form
the large conduit with the connected small conduit disposed inside.
[0021] In one embodiment, the conduit assemblies of the present disclosure is
moved
through the subsurface environment while data is collected for the purpose of
monitoring the
subsurface environment. In another embodiment, the conduit assemblies of the
present
disclosure can be attached to a water going vessel such as a ship or submarine
for the purpose of
monitoring subsurface environments. The water going vessel can be moving or
stationary.
[0022] In another embodiment, the conduit assemblies can be deployed
permanently or
as intervention logging equipment. Further, the conduit assemblies of the
present disclosure can
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serve as a fluid transmission device while simultaneously providing for data
collection. For
those familiar with the art monitoring subsurface environments, particularly
underwater
environments, using monitoring systems composed of sensors, arrays of sensors,
logging tools,
transmitters, and receivers, these monitoring systems are generally deployed
in two general
deployment classes. The first class is the "intervention" deployment where the
sensors and
devices, which can be disposed in wire rope or a conduit assembly according to
the aspects of the
present disclosure, are deployed temporarily, typically less than several
hours at any one
subsurface position. The sensors and the deployment mechanism are then
retrieved from the
subsurface environment onto a ship, a logging truck, or a submarine for
subsequent deployment
elsewhere or storage.
[0023] In the second class of deployment the sensors, arrays of sensors, and
measuring
devices are deployed "permanently" into the subsurface environment and they
remain there
permanently with the proximal end of the array connected to a surface
monitoring station. This
permanent deployment often results in the monitoring system deployed in an
ocean, on an ocean
bed, or in a well bore, often times by grouting for weeks, months, or even
years, to collect data
and information over a prolonged period of time. The systems may be retrieved
from the
permanent deployment for repair or recover of the system. The conduit
assemblies of the present
disclosure can be deployed in a subsurface environment for a prolonged or
extended period of
time such as days to weeks and can be retrieved eventually as appropriate.
Permanent
deployment allows for long term monitoring of acoustic, seismic, telluric
changes, thereby
giving a fourth dimension to the monitoring system of time, wherein the
changes in the earth's
properties can be monitored. For example, in the field of magnetotellurics the
resistivity of the
earth can be monitored over time to look for the movement of hydrocarbons and
enhanced oil
recovery fluids.
[0024] In yet another embodiment, the conduit assemblies of the present
disclosure is of
substantial length, preferably at least 30 feet, and typically from at least
100 feet to over 1000
feet, preferably at least 500 feet long. While the present disclosure
describes deployment of the
conduit assemblies of present disclosure in a subsurface environment, such as
a oil and gas well
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or body of water, including ocean, the conduit assemblies can be used in other
applicable
environments.
[0025] In an exemplary embodiment, reference is made to FIG. 1, which shows a
cross
section of conduit assembly 100. Conduit assembly 100 has inner member 101
that is attached
to the internal surface of conduit member 102. Conduit member 102 is
preferably at least about
30 feet long, more preferably between 100 feet to over 1000 feet, and most
preferably 500 feet
long. In a preferred embodiment, inner member 101 has substantially the same
length as conduit
member 102. In another embodiment, inner member 101 is at least about 70% as
long as conduit
member 102, more preferably about 70% to 90% as long as conduit member 102.
Inner member
101 has an opening through its body configured to receive measuring equipment
103, such as
sensors. As shown in FIGS. lA and 1B, measuring devices 103 are disposed
within inner
member 101. Measuring devices 103 can include sensors, such as optical fibers,
electrical wires,
accelerometers, geophones, hydrophones, microphones, electromagnetic receivers
and
transmitters, neutron transmitters and receivers, acoustic transmitters and
receivers, and other
devices well known to those in the field of well logging. The measuring device
can also
comprise optical sensors, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, acoustic
sensors,
accelerometers, seismological equipment, and any combination thereof.
[0026] In the preferred embodiment, inner member 101 is welded to conduit
member 102
along the length of both conduits. The welding can be continuous or just
portions of inner
member 101 are welded to conduit member 102 along the length of conduit member
102. In
other embodiments, conduits 101 can be attached to conduit member 102 through
other means
known to those skilled in the art. In one embodiment, conduit member 102 is a
coiled tubing
used in oil and gas wells. The data collected can include velocity and
acceleration of the
subsurface environment, as well as acoustic, temperature, and magnetic changes
in the
subsurface environment.
[0027] In another embodiment, inner member 101 is a solid member which serves
as a
guide mechanism for devices and fluid being deployed or flowed through the
conduit assembly
100. In this or other embodiments, one or more measuring devices can be
disposed in conduit
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member 102. In yet another embodiment, conduit assembly 100 has more than one
inner
member 101, where one inner member 101 can be a conduit with an opening as
shown in FIGS.
lA and 1B and another inner member can be a solid member serving as a guide,
such as a key
way or rail.
[0028] Conduit assembly 100 allows a substantial portion of the interior of
conduit
member 102 to be available, e.g., substantially unobstructed, to accommodate
the passage of
other devices such as logging devices, plugs, packers, guns with explosive
charges, without
damaging sensitive measuring devices 103 disposed inside inner member 101.
Inner member
101 and conduit member 102 can be made of any material appropriate for the
subsurface
environment into which conduit assembly 100 is deployed.
[0029] In the preferred embodiment, inner member 101 and conduit member 102
are
tubular in shape. In other embodiments, other geometrical forms of rods,
tubes, and wire can be
used including electrical rods, wire rope, perforated tubes, square tubes,
other any other
geometrical shapes, and any combination thereof.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 2, conduit assembly 100 is deployed in a horizontal
well 206.
Measuring devices 103 are disposed inside inner member 101 and are protected
from damages
during deployment of conduit assembly 100. In certain embodiments, conduit
member 102 can
include one or more production ports 109, which allow reservoir fluids 105 to
flow from
reservoir 104 to the surface. Once deployed, conduit member 102 becomes an
acoustical
diaphragm and the acoustic energy of subsurface environment 104, such as
vibration, is
transmitted to conduit member 102 and collected by measuring devices 103. The
coupling of
measuring devices 103 to conduit member 102 through the attachment of inner
member 101
improves the data, such as acoustic energy and temperature, collected by
measuring devices 103.
The opening of inner member 101 or the opening of conduit member 102 can be
filled with a
fluid to enhance the transmission of the data from the subsurface environment
measuring devices
103. Either inner member 101 or conduit member 102 can allow for production of
fluid from
subsurface environment 104 to the surface or injection of fluid from the
surface to subsurface
environment 104.
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[0031] Referring to FIG. 2, measuring devices 103 is connected to data
processing device
107, which collects and analyzes the data to allow for monitoring of
conditions of the subsurface
environment. In one embodiment, measuring devices 103 include one or more
optical fiber
sensors and data processing device 107 employs Optical Time Domain
Reflectometry (OTDR)
and interpretive algorithms to process the collected data. In one embodiment,
data processing
device 107 includes OTDR machines for launching light down the optical
fiber(s), recording the
information from the optical fiber(s), and analyzing the collected
information.
[0032] In other embodiments, conduit assembly 100 can be deployed from a
vessel
through a body of water, where data processing device 107 is located on the
vessel. The vessel
that can be moved through or supported by a body of water, including surface
going ships,
submarines, and buoys. The vessels can be moving or stationary.
[0033] In other embodiments, conduit assembly 100 can be further equipped with
mechanical devices, electrical devices, magnetic devices, telluric devices,
acoustical devices,
neutron generating devices, neutron capture devices, and any combination
thereof. In particular,
one or more of these devices can be connected to the distal end of conduit
member 102.
Electrical, hydraulic, and/or pneumatic power can be transmitted through
conduit assembly 100.
[0034] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there are
methods to make
the conduit assemblies of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 3,
material 301 is dispensed
from reel 302. In one embodiment, material 301 comprises any type of metals
and alloys
thereof, including ceramic metal alloys. Material 301 is preferably in the
form of a sheet strip.
In the preferred embodiment, material 301 comprises steel. Inner member 101 is
dispensed from
reel 303 and is attached to material 301 by welder 304 prior to being fed into
mill 305. One or
more reels 303 and corresponding number of welder 304 can be provided to
attach additional
inner members 101 to material 301 to provide a conduit assembly with more than
one inner
member 101. As shown, inner member 101 is continuously welded to material 301
along its
length prior to entering mill 305. However, in other embodiments, inner member
101 can be
intermittently welded to material 301 along its length prior to entering mill
305.
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[0035] Once attached, both inner member 101 and material 301 enter mill 305
where
material 301 is formed into conduit member 102. In one embodiment, mill 305
brings the lateral
sides of material 301 together in the desired shape and welds the sides
together. In one
embodiment, conduit assembly 100 can be collected on reel 306 for subsequent
use, such as to be
equipped with measuring devices for deployment in a subsurface environment,
such as a well
site or coiled conduit injection truck for field deployment or placed on a
water going vessel
where the conduit assembly 100 is spooled off reel 306 into a subsurface
environment. As
mentioned above, inner member 101 can have any geometrical shape and a
plurality of inner
members 101 can be disposed in conduit member 102.
[0036] As described, the present disclosure provides methods and apparatuses
that
protect the sensors and measuring devices as well as provide for improved data
collection
without unnecessary obstructions. In addition, the present disclosure provides
for conduit
assemblies with a "smooth" exterior surface that allows for the use of with
common hydraulic
pack off means, which can be problematic for systems where the encapsulated
sensors are
attached to the outside of the conduit because they can be prone to leaking,
thereby requiring
more maintenance. In addition, the conduit assemblies of the present
disclosure can be deployed
from buoys and trailed behind submarines or surface water vessels as
monitoring arrays. In
addition, certain embodiments utilizing gas in the conduit assemblies can
provide control of the
buoyancy of the conduit assemblies in use.
[0037] Although the present invention and its advantages have been described
in detail, it
should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can
be made herein
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the
appended claims.
Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited
to the particular
embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter,
means, methods and
steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will
readily appreciate
from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines,
manufacture, compositions of
matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed
that perform
substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as
the corresponding
embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present
invention. Accordingly,
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the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes,
machines,
manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
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